Archie R. Williams
Age: Deceased (1933-2002)
Company: Roxbury Technology Corporation
Position: Founder
Industry: Technology
Country: United States
Archie Williams was a visionary and a pioneer. He committed his life to the economic and social development of the minority community. Archie believed in the minority community and the hidden treasures that it holds. He believed that the minority community should not look for handouts but rather handshakes. More importantly, he believed the minority community needed to help itself by becoming economically self-sustaining through the development of mutually beneficial relationships with Corporate America.
Archie's vision for Roxbury Technology Corp was one that began over 30 plus years ago when he opened his first businesses in Boston MA, in 1968: Freedom Foods and Freedom Electronics. His vision was to make a difference while making a profit. His vision was to develop businesses that create jobs and opportunities for the untapped and under utilized talent within the minority community. To create economic development by establishing primary businesses that pumped money into the community versus taking it out; to stimulate economic change by bringing a manufacturing plant back to the community; to diversify commerce within the community; and to be a model of success for other corporations, both large and small to emulate.
Archie's plan for Roxbury Technology Corp had two phases. Phase one was to build a solid foundation as a distributor of toner cartridges so he selected and began a partnership with Laser-Tek Industries, Inc., one of the leaders in the remanufacturing industry. Next was to build high volume sales; establish a reputation for quality and to partner with a large office stationer, such as Staples, Inc., to enable national visibility and distribution. Phase two was to transition into manufacturing, to open a manufacturing facility in the inner-city of Boston.
Though the company began in 1994, the real process began in 1998 when Archie met the founder and now Chairman of Staples, Inc. Mr. Tom Stemberg. Archie shared his vision with Mr. Stemberg. Mr. Stemberg bought the vision and made a capacity building commitment to Roxbury Technology Corp. That commitment grew Roxbury Technology Corp over 800% and poised it to begin manufacturing in the spring of 2003. However, with Archie's unexpected passing on November 28, 2002, the manufacturing plans, needless to say, had to be put on hold.
In January of 2003, as part of the succession plan, his daughter Beth Williams assumed the role of President and CEO of Roxbury Technology Corp with the full intention of carrying out her father's legacy of reinvigorating and creating jobs in one of Boston's most neglected neighborhoods.
Roxbury Technology Corp was extremely successful during its first year of transition. Our annual gross sales for 2003 were $5.2million dollars!
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